Stainless Steel Tank & Heat Exchanger Fabricator with Free Engineering Calculator!

Bendel Tank & Heat Exchanger invites you to download our handy engineering calculator tools to use freely on your desktop!

It’s easy to do.  Just visit this link and follow the easy download instructions!

Our free desktop tools give you calculators that you can use to calculate Pressure, Capacity, Flow, Temperature, Volume and Finishes.  Every calculation that you would need to make to design and configure a tank or vessel is contained within the calculators.

We also included handy conversion tools within the calculators for Surface Finish, Grit Size, Mass, Density, Length, Volume, Pressure/Vacuum, and Temperature.

We hope you enjoy using the Bendel Desktop Tools Widget and please give us a call at 1-866-596-5112 if you have any questions that we may help you with.  Thank you and have a great 2011!

 

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Steel Storage Tank Fabricator in Bendel Posts New STI Video

Bendel Corporation is a long-standing member and supporter of the Steel Tank Institute and Steel Plate Fabricators Association.  In their long 94-year history, they have helped to lead the way to safer and innovative standards that guide steel storage tank fabricators today.

We thought this new video launched by the STI/SPFA was a very good capsule of the organization’s accomplishments and history of safety and material guidelines for steel storage tank fabricators.  We hope you enjoy watching the video as well!

If you would like more information on the steel storage tank fabricating process on our Bendel horizontal and vertical tanks, please call us at 866-596-5112 and visit us online at www.bendelcorp.com.  Thank you for your business and we look forward to serving you soon!

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Storage Tank NISTM 13th Annual Trade Show March 1-3, 2011 in Orlando!

Bendel Tank and Heat Exchanger would like to let you know that the 13th Annual Aboveground Storage Tank Conference and Trade Show will be held March 1-3, 2011 in Orlando, FL, sponsored by the National Institute for Storage Tank Management.

This year’s storage tank conference and trade show is being held at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando.  You can visit the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel here.  Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando is situated on 230 acres of lush landscape and is Central Florida’s newest and most luxurious meeting destination.

This conference is designed for Engineers, Managers or other individuals with operation, construction, Environmental, compliance, spill prevention or response, or management activities associated with aboveground storage tanks   and piping. Nationally-recognized experts will provide the latest information available on tank management.

Conference topics will include sessions on the following:

• API Standards
• Cleanup and Response
• Internal Inspections
• Instruction
• Overfill Protection
• Robotic Technology
• And more!

If you are interested in the show, please visit the NISTM website.  And if you would like more information about http://bendelcorp.com/storagetanks_designspecs.htmlBendel and our storage tank fabrication program, please call us at 866-596-5112 and visit us online at www.bendelcorp.com.

 

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Heat Exchanger Fabricator Has Flow Arrangement Options

We have been posting some “behind-the-scenes” and educational information about Heat Exchangers, how they work, what is the science behind them, etc.  And now we want to take a look at “flow arrangement” and how we classify flow arrangement when fabricating our Heat Exchangers.

Basically, there are two primary classifications of heat exchangers according to their flow arrangement. In parallel-flow heat exchangers (at left), the two fluids enter the exchanger at the same end, and travel in parallel to one another to the other side.

In counter-flow heat exchangers (at right) the fluids enter the exchanger from opposite ends. The counter current design is most efficient, in that it can transfer the most heat from the heat (transfer) medium.

For efficiency, heat exchangers are designed to maximize the surface area of the wall between the two fluids, while minimizing resistance to fluid flow through the exchanger. The exchanger’s performance can also be affected by the addition of fins or corrugations in one or both directions, which increase surface area and may channel fluid flow or induce turbulence.

In a cross-flow heat exchanger (at left), the fluids travel roughly perpendicular to one another through the exchanger.

The driving temperature across the heat transfer surface varies with position, but an appropriate mean temperature can be defined. In most simple systems this is the “log mean temperature difference” (LMTD). Sometimes direct knowledge of the LMTD is not available and the NTU (Number of Transfer Units) method is used.

If you would like more information about our Bendel heat exchanger design and fabricating program, please call us at 866-596-5112 or contact  Vince Petrucci or Vivek Patel at Bendel.

 

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Heat Exchanger Fouling Can be a Nightmare Maintenance Issue with Shell & Tube Heat Exchangers!

Fouling occurs when a fluid goes through the heat exchanger, and the impurities in the fluid precipitate onto the surface of the tubes. Precipitation of these impurities can be caused by:

• Frequent use of the heat exchanger
• Not cleaning the heat exchanger regularly
• Reducing the velocity of the fluids moving through the heat exchanger
• Over-sizing of the heat exchanger

Effects of fouling are more abundant in the cold tubes of the heat exchanger than in the hot tubes. This is because impurities are less likely to be dissolved in a cold fluid, because for most substances, solubility increases as temperature increases. A notable exception is hard water where the opposite is true.

Fouling reduces the cross sectional area for heat to be transferred and causes an increase in the resistance to heat transfer across the heat exchanger. This is because the thermal conductivity of the fouling layer is low. This reduces the overall heat transfer coefficient and efficiency of the heat exchanger. This in turn, can lead to an increase in pumping and maintenance costs.

The conventional approach to fouling control combines the “blind” application of biocides and anti-scale chemicals with periodic lab testing. This often results in the excessive use of chemicals with the inherent side effects of accelerating system corrosion and increasing toxic waste – not to mention the cost of unnecessary treatments. There are however solutions for continuous fouling monitoring in liquid environments with sensors measuring both fouling thickness and temperature, allowing cleaning effectiveness to be monitored and chemical usage to be minimized.

If you would like more information about our Bendel heat exchanger design and fabricating program, please call us at 866-596-5112 or contact  Vince Petrucci or Vivek Patel at Bendel.  www.bendelcorp.com

 

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U-tube Heat Exchanger Design and Fabrication from Bendel Corporation

There are several different types of shell and tube heat exchangers that Bendel designs and fabricates for clients of varying types for varying uses!  The U-tube heat exchanger is a multi-use heat exchanger that many of our clients use in their various manufacturing processes.

A shell and tube heat exchanger is a class of heat exchanger designs. It is the most common type of heat exchanger in oil refineries and other large chemical processes, and is suited for higher-pressure applications. As its name implies, this type of heat exchanger consists of a shell (a large pressure vessel) with a bundle of tubes inside it. One fluid runs through the tubes, and another fluid flows over the tubes (through the shell) to transfer heat between the two fluids. The set of tubes is called a tube bundle, and may be composed by several types of tubes: plain, longitudinally finned, etc.

Two fluids, of different starting temperatures, flow through the heat exchanger. One flows through the tubes (the tube side) and the other flows outside the tubes but inside the shell (the shell side). Heat is transferred from one fluid to the other through the tube walls, either from tube side to shell side or vice verse. The fluids can be either liquids or gases on either the shell or the tube side. In order to transfer heat efficiently, a large heat transfer area should be used, leading to the use of many tubes. In this way, waste heat can be put to use. This is an efficient way to conserve energy.

Heat exchangers with only one phase (liquid or gas) on each side can be called one-phase or single-phase heat exchangers. Two-phase heat exchangers can be used to heat a liquid to boil it into a gas (vapor), sometimes called boilers, or cool a vapor to condense it into a liquid (called condensers), with the phase change usually occurring on the shell side. Boilers in steam engine locomotives are typically large, usually cylindrically-shaped shell-and-tube heat exchangers. In large power plants with steam-driven turbines, shell-and-tube surface condensers are used to condense the exhaust steam exiting the turbine into condensate water which is recycled back to be turned into steam in the steam generator.

There can be many variations on the shell and tube design. Typically, the ends of each tube are connected to plenums (sometimes called water boxes) through holes in tubesheets. The tubes may be straight or bent in the shape of a U, called U-tubes.

If you would like more information about our Bendel heat exchanger design and fabricating program, please call us at 866-596-5112 or contact  Vince Petrucci or Vivek Patel at Bendel.

 

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Pressure Vessel Fabricators – The Science Behind Pressure Vessels

We received some great comments and feedback from our article on the “science behind Heat Exchangers” that we posted on our blog a week ago…so we’re going to discuss about the “science behind pressure vessels” this week!

A sealed container that is intended to hold liquids or gases at a different pressure from the atmosphere around it is known as a pressure vessel. Contemporary boiler pressure vessels are typically composed of steel. Older boiler vessels were composed of wrought iron, copper or cast iron, and held together by rivets.

All Bendel Pressure Vessels and Reactors are designed and fabricated in strict accordance with ASME (Section VIII, Division I). ASME vessels can be fabricated from Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel or Nickel Alloy materials.

Boiler pressure vessels, if punctured or flawed, can cause serious and even fatal accidents. This is a result of the difference in the pressure levels between the substance inside the container and the substance outside the container. If breached, the danger lies in the reaction, as the substance inside the container regulates to the same pressure as the atmosphere outside the vessel.

If the substance inside is compressed, and stored at a higher pressure than the air outside, the substance will rush outwards if the vessel is punctured, creating an explosion. If the substance inside is at a lower pressure, it will create a suction effect if punctured. Pressurized containers can also create explosions if exposed to excessive heat, or other adverse conditions.

As a result of these hazards, extensive laws govern pressure vessels. The laws that regulate pressure vessels are carefully enforced by engineering authorities for the safety of operators, as well as the general public. These laws regulate the design and manufacture, as well as the operation, of pressure vessels.

Boiler pressure vessels are used to produce power by creating and utilizing the energy provided by the creation of pressurized steam. In order to create this reaction, a source of heat is applied to the boiler. The boiler is kept partially filled with water. As the water evaporates and becomes steam, pressure within the boiler vessel rises. The highly heated and pressurized steam provides energy for a number of applications, including early locomotive trains and steam ships.

If you would like to know more information about our Bendel pressure vessels, please call us at 866.596.5112!

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Bendel Customers and Students Studying Thermodynamics and Science Enjoy the Science Behind our Heat Exchangers

We get many questions about “what exactly does a heat exchanger do” and “what is the science behind how the heat exchanger works?”  In addition to our customers, we thought that the public and school children doing research on the topic would enjoy a thorough explanation!

What is a Heat Exchanger?

A heat exchanger is a device used to passively transfer heat from one material to another. These materials may be liquid or gaseous, depending on the situation in which the heat exchanger is being used. There are many models and types of heat exchangers, but they essentially work based on the laws of thermodynamics. One of those laws states that when an object is heated, the heat energy contained within that object will diffuse outward to the surrounding environment, until the heat energy in the object and in the environment have reached equilibrium.

How Does a Heat Exchanger Work?

Heat exchangers are basically two chambers separated by a single wall. This may take the form of a reservoir, but to be more effective, the maximum amount of the two chamber’s volumes must be in contact with each other. As a result, most heat exchangers are simply two passageways of pipe that snake back and forth, turning in on themselves.

A heated material is passed through one pipe. This material needs to be cooled in a hurry, but it would not be economical to chill the material by refrigeration or chemical means. The other pipe is filled with another material, which is cooled, typically at or near room temperature. As a result of the two materials being in close contact with each other, the heat diffuses between the two until they reach an equal temperature.

 

Where Are Heat Exchangers Used?

Heat exchangers are used in all sorts of industrial processes. The size and type of heat exchanger for each process can be customized, as they all follow similar principles. Instead of using unnecessary coolant, many industries instead pipe in a fluid or chemical that needs to be heated anyway, saving heat energy that would otherwise be wasted.

Absorption refrigerators use heat exchangers to condense the chemicals within their closed systems from a vapor to a liquid. Waste water treatment plants run heated materials alongside waste water pipes containing anaerobic digesters, which must be kept at very warm temperatures to do their jobs in breaking down waste.

The human lungs are also a good example of a heat exchanger. They are very open with lots of surface volume. Cool air comes in and presses up against the tissue, behind which is hot blood. The heat from the blood transfers to the air, helping to cool the body.

If you would like to have more information on heat exchangers, please contact Bendel at 1-866-596-5112.  We will be happy to help you in any way possible!

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Stainless Steel Storage Tank Manufacturing with STI Membership!

Bendel is a long-standing member of the Steel Tank Institute (STI) and we believe in the important work that this valuable organization provides our industry and our steel tank customers.

STI/SPFA was formed in February 2004, when the Steel Tank Institute (1916) and the Steel Plate Fabricators Association (1933) combined operations. STI/SPFA provides a wide range of services to the industry-leading suppliers and fabricators of steel tanks, pressure vessels, specialty products and piping for the petroleum, chemical, food and water storage industries.

It also works to create, promote and modify standards and recommended practices to influence code and standards-writing organizations, regulatory agencies and policy organizations (AWWA, ASCE, API, ASTM, ASME, EPA, UL SwRI, PEI, NFPA, IFC, OSHA, AISI and others).

We at Bendel applaud the work of the STI/SPFA because they are watchdogs, advocates, and leaders in the business of supporting steel tank manufacturing. The core attributes that they offer include:

• Creating new technologies through research & development activities
• Developing industry standards, recommended practices and procedures which improve product performance and longevity, and promote best practices in manufacturing, quality inspection, installation and testing
• Promoting the strengths and benefits of steel, through educational outreach programs, certification programs for manufacturers as well as installers and testers, press releases and industry publications
• Advocating with OSHA, the EPA, and code and regulatory authorities in each market, to ensure the continued ability of the manufacturers to fabricate steel products, and to protect the health and safety of employees and the environment
• Providing educational opportunities, certification programs and professional recognition to companies achieving outstanding performance in the areas of safety, quality, sales and service to the industry

Throughout the year, they provide our industry and customers with extensive meetings, seminars, courses and conferences across the country.  You can visit the STI/SPFA website here!

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Stainless Steel Blender-Dryer Fabricators Launch New OEM Equipment Piece!

Bendel can design, fabricate and inventory unique vessel assemblies for Original Equipment Manufacturers that are procuring specific aspects of their equipment manufacturing process due to space or time constraints.

Stainless Steel Blender-Dryer Combo from Bendel

Some of our current projects involve Pressure/Vacuum Autoclaves for the textile and electronics industries, Rotary Dryers for the energy and food industries and Rotary Tumble Blenders/Dryers for the pharmaceutical industry.

Bendel designs and fabricates the vessels per the original equipment manufacturers specifications to meet specific needs.

This video is one of our latest custom Stainless Steel Blender-Dryer Combos. One of it’s potential uses is the sanitary blending of pharmaceutical powders.

Storage Tank & Heat Exchanger Fabrication Quality Control Programs

Quality control at Bendel Corporation is part of the manufacturing and fabrication process. Anticipation…Intervention…Experience…Stage Reviews…our quality control program is so vitally important to our clients and our company.

The Bendel quality control process encompasses inspection, analysis, and implementation at each stage to maintain standards of manufacturing and fabrication.

Bendel Corporation has developed our Quality Assurance Program around the requirements of the ASME Code (Section VIII, Division I) for the design and fabrication of shop built Tanks, Pressure Vessels and Shell & Tube Heat Exchangers.

The Program is documented in the Bendel Quality Control Manual and is reviewed annually to ensure compliance with all of the latest revisions of the ASME Code.

Our Quality Program is maintained to satisfy our Authorized Inspection Agency (Hartford Steam Boiler) and all customer expectations. In addition to the ASME Code, Bendel also maintains certification under the National Board Inspection Code (NBIC) for vessel field repairs and alterations.

All welders employed by Bendel are required to pass stringent performance testing requirements based on ASME Section IX prior to welding on any Code or Non-Code vessel.  Please call us at 866.596.5112 or email beaver@bendelcorp.com. We look forward to serving you soon!

Storage Tank Fabricators - Verticals & Horizontals!

Bendel has the expertise to design and fabricate custom above-ground storage tanks to meet your industrial needs. We can provide the highest quality single-wall and double-wall storage tanks up to 186” diameter and 75,000 gallon capacity. Storage tanks are designed, built and tested to meet industry standards including UL-142, NFPA-22, API-650, API-620, API-12F or ASME. Tanks are available in Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel or Nickel Alloy materials.

And we have fabricated thousands of storage tanks over the past 45 years! If you’re in the storage business, really well-designed and fabricated tanks are a thing of beauty to admire. And our team at Bendel has designed and fabricated some of the best-looking and functional tanks. Plus we have created some very nice options like catwalks and ladders. Here are a few for your viewing enjoyment!

Please contact us at 866.596.5112 or beaver@bendelcorp.com if we can help you with any design and fabrication of storage tanks!

Bendel Supports the ASME Vancouver 2010 Engineer's Conference on Including Clean Fuel and Green Fuels!

Bendel Corporation supports the ASME and their wonderful efforts of promoting clean energy as industrial nations look for ways to become more energy efficient, engineers and technology leaders will convene in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to discuss topics related to climate change, sustainable processes, alternative energy and fuel cell technology during proceedings of the 2010 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Nov. 12-18.

Set against the backdrop of one of the world’s greenest and most energy efficient urban centers, the ASME Congress will gather engineers and scientists at the Vancouver Convention and Exposition Centre to assess new advances in energy production and utilization and the role of these technologies in pollution control and environmental sustainability.

The ASME Congress, the Society’s largest technical conference, will devote a full track of technical presentations focused on energy systems and sustainability. Sixteen technical sessions in the track will cover the state of the art in engineering research and applications and feature presenters from leading academic institutions, corporations and engineering consulting firms.

Topics will include hydrogen energy, solar and wind power, bio-fuels, energy conversion, and emerging technologies.

In addition, the 2010 Congress will include a tour of the Clean Energy Research Centre (CERC) and National Research Council Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation (NRC-IFCI) at the University of British Columbia. Both organizations lead research in clean energy technology, with NRC-IFCI focused on building collaborations with Canadian universities, companies, and government agencies to promote the growing hydrogen and fuel cell businesses.

In addition to energy, the multidisciplinary technical program of the ASME Congress will address the latest advancements in aerospace technology, manufacturing, dynamic systems, safety engineering, and transportation, among other subjects.

The seven-day conference also will include an exposition and poster session featuring advanced research and applications in micro devices and nanotechnology. A highlight of the Congress will be the ASME Honors Assembly, “A Celebration of Engineering,” a tribute to distinguished service and outstanding achievement in mechanical engineering.

About Bendel

Bendel specializes in the design and shop fabrication of Pressure Vessels, Reactors, Shell & Tube Heat Exchangers and Storage Tanks up to 75,000 gallons. Our custom fabricated products are built to nationally recognized standards which include UL, NFPA, API, ASME & TEMA and are available in Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel and Nickel Alloy materials of construction.

We serve the Chemical, Petrochemical, Pulp & Paper, Textile, Paint, Water/Wastewater Treatment, and Pharmaceuticalmarketsto name a few.

About ASME

ASME helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real world challenges. Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing and skill development across all engineering disciplines, while promoting the vital role of the engineer in society. ASME codes and standards, publications, conferences, continuing education and professional development programs provide a foundation for advancing technical knowledge and a safer world.

(Source for article: ASME, August 2010)

Heat Exchanger & Tube Sheet Drilling and Milling from Bendel

We have had our Quickmill Intimidator milling and drilling machine for some time now, and what a phenomenal addition to our Heat Exchanger fabrication capabilities!

Our clients demand perfection from Bendel when they entrust a heat exchanger project to us. And we rely heavily on our Quickmill milling and drilling machine because it is designed to provide close tolerance machining of tubesheets used in the manufacture of our custom Shell & Tubesheet Heat Exchangers.

Our own milling and drilling team is the best, too! The heat exchanger milling and drilling work is intricate and repetitive, so we rely heavily on our team to provide exceptional results day in and day out. And boy do they deliver!

The Quickmill Intimidator is the superior solution for large part machining and drilling accuracy. The Quickmill gives us increased production efficiency while improving the quality and performance of our Shell & Tubesheet Heat Exchangers.

The Intimidator Gantry 96 (96″ x 185.5″) provides our craftsmen with a powerful, precise tool that performs flawlessly time after time.

Storage Tank & Pressure Vessel Fabricators - Bendel in Charlotte!

A STATE-OF-THE-ART MANUFACTURING & FABRICATION FACILITY.


Bendel’s modern fabrication facility encompasses more than 65,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing area on a 12-acre site located less than 1 mile from Interstate Hwy’s I-85 & I-77.

Originally built in 1962, we have continually updated and maintained modern equipment and a best practices attitude in the manufacture of Tanks,Pressure Vessels and Heat Exchangers.

Our current equipment list includes:

(10) overhead cranes

(34+) MIG, TIG & SAW welding machines

(3) plate rolls (6', 12', 16') wide

Angle rolls

1/2" x 12' shear

300 ton Press brake

3/8" x 17'circle shear

16' long cold wire TIG seam welder

15-1/2' boom manipulator

8' x 15' Quickmill milling and drilling machine